Playing cards



Oct. 20, 1925. 1,558,229

W. S. BOWMAN PLAYING CARDS Filed July 1:s,' 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ""2 fig.

Oct. 20, 1925. 1,558,229

w. s. BOWMAN.

PLAYING CARDS Filed July 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented '0... 20, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAI S. WAR, OF ORANGEVILLE, PENRSYLYARIA.

PLAYING CAB-D8.

application filed July 18, 1925. Serial Io. 43,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. BOWMAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Orangeville, in the county of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Playing Cards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to amusement games, and especially to games played with cards.

Specifically the invention relates to devices adapted for the play of card games having a certain educational value, when played by small children, said game involving a decided element of chance which renders it also attractive for adults.

One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a deck of cards equally divided into head cards and tail cards, as indicated by symbols carried on the back of each card, the front faces of each of the cards carrying a representation of the front or rear portion of an animal which, when matched up with another card in the deck. forms a com lete pictorial representation of such animal.

It is another object of the invention to include, with the pictorial representation of the animal carried on the face of the card, letters forming a portion of the name of such animal.

A still further object of the invention is the provision, on'the face of each card, of numbers or other designations indicative of the particular value of the card in playing the game.

Other objects of the invention will be made apparent in the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings forming a part thereof. a

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 represents the rear side of a tail card of the deck of cards used in playing the ame. w 5 Fig.2 represents the rear side of a head card.

Fig. 3 is a view of the face of one of the head cards, showing a bufi'alo head.

Fig. 4 is a view of the face of one of the tail cards, showing the rear portion of a buffalo.

Fig. 5 represents the face of one of the head cards showing a camel.

lgig. 6 represents the face of a camel tail car Egg. 7 represents the face of a horse head car Fig. 8 represents the face of a horse tail car Fig. 9 represents the face of a moose head car Fig. 10 represents the face of a moose tail car Fig. 11 represents the face of a zebra head card, and

Fig. 12 represents the face of a zebra tail car Now referring specifically to the drawmgs. it is to be stated that I have here chosen to illustrate the animals as shown, but it is obvious that the selection of the specific animals is arbitrary. Any other animals would answer the same purpose in playing the game, or the pictorial representation of birds or fishes might be substituted.

In playing the game I prefer to provide a deck of cards, of which 30 are head cards and 30 are tail cards, each head card being here shown as provided on its back with a pictorial representation of the front portion of a donkey, and the back ofeach tail card being provided with a pictorial representation of the tail portion of a donkey.

'Ithe face of each head card is provided with a picture of the front portion of an animal. and the face of each tail card is illustrated with a representation of the rear portion of an animal. Furthermore, the face of each head card carries, adjacent its right-hand edge, the first letters of the name of whatever animal may be partially pictured on the card, while the face of each tail card carrles, adjacent its left-hand edge, the remainmg letters of the name of the animal of which the tail portion is shown.

I have arbitrarily chosen to provide fihead cards which are exactly alike, as to the head portions and name ortions shown thereon, and 6 tail cards which are exactly alike as to the tail portions and name portions shown thereon. Each card of the series of six however bears a different number, from 1 to 6, denoting the value of the card in playing the game. In other words there are 6 head cards for each animal, exactly like the cards shown in Figs. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11, except that the numbers, as shown in the upper left hand corner of the card varies from 1 to 6 on the successive cards, and the same is true of the tail cards. So that there are 6 buffalo head cards, each bearing the letters BU, and the representation of the head portion of the buffalo, the numbers on the cards running from 1 to 6. Also each tail card of aseries is the same as the other tail card of that series, except for the number carried thereby. It is understood that there are also 6 head and 6 tail cards for each of the animals herein enumerated.

with a deck of cards as described many games may be played which are interesting to adults and young people, and instructive to children. Certain of such games may be described as follows:

In playing games with the cards the combinations and values are made by placing head cards and tail cards side by side on the table and facing upwardly, the cards being so positioned that the portion of the animal shown on the face of the head card will complement the portion shown on the other card to form an animal. If the animal so formed is made up of the head of one animal and the tail of another animal, and if the numbers on the head and tail cards are different, it is called a freak, and the name formed on the two cards will be a freak name, such as Zemal, or Burse, etc. Such a combination is of the lowest possible value Double freaks are made by head and tail cards of different animals, each card bearing the same index number, and are next in value.

Jacks are madeby head and tail cards of the same animal, but bearing different in dex numbers, and this combination represents the third highest value.

Doublejaeks are formed by a combination of the proper face and tail cards of an animal, each card bearing the same numbers.

It is of course possible to assign other values to the combinations as above outlined, the above being merely representative. Any-number of players from two to six may play, the partnership game being the better. V

The cards are thoroughly shuttled, keeping. the head and 1 tail cards separated in shuffling andidealing, and care should always be observed to prevent mixing the head and tail cards. After shuffling, the 30 head and 30 tail cards are placed together in one stack, the head cards all facing downwardly, and the tail cards upwardly. Each player is then dealt five tail cards from the top of the deck, the faces of said cards being exposed on the table in front of the player. The remainder of the deck is then turned over and five head cards are dealt to each player, who holds them in. his hand unexposed. The balance of the deck is then laid aside and temporarily unused.

-With four players in a game the first player takes a head card from his hand and combines it with a tail card on the table in front of him to form a freak or a jack. Assuming that one of the cards bears the number 3, and the other the number 5, the player has made an 8 freak or an 8 jack and so declares it. The next player must form a higher freak or jack, for instance a 9 freak or a 9 jack, or a double-freak or double jack from the cards in his hand and in front of him on the table, in order to Win the trick from the player immediately in front. Furthermore, if the first player forms a freak the next player to win, must also form a freak of higher denomination. ()r, failing to win, second player may form a jack, forcing the third player to form a high jack to win. The player or side first taking the required numberof tricks wins the game, each trick counting 1 point in game, a certain number of points being previously agreed upon as the game total. Obviously the game as above described may be varied in a multitude of details.

In playing a game similar to whist experienced playeis may bid in turn. If first player wins the play on a l or 2 bid, and makes a freak to start with, all other players must play a freak, a higher freak, or a double-freak to take the trick, jacks and double jacks not countin in the hand at all. If the Winning bidder iirst forms a jack the next player must form jacks or double-jacks to win, the freaks or double-freaks not being considered.

To play jacks the separately shuffled head and tail cards are placed on the table. the head cards in three piles, faces up, and the tail cards in three piles faces down. No account is taken of the number on the cards in this game, the object being to select an exposed card from one of the head cards, and an unexposed card from one of the tail cards to form a complete horse, zebra, etc. Whenever the player succeeds in making a complete jack a certain number of cards must be given him by each player. When the'cards have all been taken from the table the player having the greatestnumber of cards is the winner.

It is believed unnecessary to further indicate the different games possible with cards such as described. It is obvious that each card is capable of being combined with another card to form combinations having different values, which values are indicated by the pictorial representations and by the numerical indices carried by the cards.

Modifications of the cards herein disclosed may be suggested to those skilled in the art, but my invention comprehends all embodiments falling fairly Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A deck of playing cards each of which is provided on its back with a designation classifying it as a head or tail card, each said card carrying on its face a pictorial representation of a half portion of an animal, and being also provided with a symbol denoting the particular value of the card.

2. A deck of playing cards each of which is provided on the back with a designation classifying it as a head or a tail card, and carrying on its face a pictorial representation of a portion of an animal, letters comprising a portion of the name of such animal, and additional data denoting the value of the card in playing a game.

3. A game device comprising a plurality of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a head card, and a similar number of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a tail card, and a pictorial representation, on the face of each card of each set, which is complementary to a card of the other set in the formation of a complete representation of an animal when the two cards are juxtaposed.

4. A game device comprising a plurality of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a head card, and a similar number of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a tail card, the front face of each head card carrying a pictorial representation of the front portion of an animal, together with the letters comprising the front portion of the name of such animal, the front face of each tail card carrying a pictorial representation of the rear portion of an animal, together with the letters com prising the last portion of the name of such animal, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. A game device comprising a plurality of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a head card, and a similar number of cards each bearing on its back a symbol indicating a tail card, the front face of each head card carrying a pictorial representation of the front portion of an animal, together with the letters comprising the front portion of the name of such animal, the front face of each tail card carrying a pictorial representation of the rear portion of an animal, together with the letters comprising'the last portion of the name of such animal, and additional indicia on the front of each card denoting the value of the card in playing a game.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM S. BOWMAN. 

